Fighting for Family
by Sage Dans Les Lys
Summary: She was not the girl that she once was- shy, scared, weak. She will fight for this. She will fight for family.


**~Fighting for Family~**

"You want to do what?!"

Hinata held her head up, eyes casted forward. "You heard me correctly." The young woman watched as the Elders sputtered, dumbfounded, probably wishing back the shy, submissive twelve year old girl she once was. But that girl grew up, forming a backbone and strong shoulders, wanting to be better, to be stronger. And here she was, the Clan Head, married to Naruto, with three children and another on the way.

The Elders turned to Naruto, who was leaning up against a wall, watching her with admiration and love in his eyes. He held up his hands before they could utter a single sound, "Don't look at me. I may be the Hokage but Hinata is in charge here. I'm just here to play referee." Hinata couldn't help but smile at Naruto's trust in her abilities as Clan Head, as his wife, as a mother, as his equal. The young woman stood up, grabbing onto Naruto's offered hand.

"This discussion is over. Any attempt to stop this will be punished."

And will that, the married couple left the room.

Of course, being the silly man that she fell in love with, Naruto picked her up and spun her once they were outside of the Branch House. "You were amazing, Hinata!" She laughed as they bumped their noses together affectionately. The man set her down before cupping her face in his hands, smiling goofily. Hinata shook her head, pulling him down into a smiling kiss.

And, of course, that is when their children saw them.

"Momma! Daddy!"

"Momma! Old Man!"

The duo pulled apart, just for Hinata to watch as Boruto launched himself at his father, Himawari close behind. Hiroki* came up to grasp her skirt, pale eyes looked up at her. With the background noise of Boruto's and Naruto's playful bickering and Himawari's giggling, Hiroki smiled and said, "Hello, Mama." Heart swelling from the name (it took several months after his adoption to convince Hiroki that it was okay to call Hinata and Naruto "mama" and "papa"), Hinata bent down carefully and picked up the boy, pressing a kiss to his pale cheek. "Hello, Hiroki." Naruto, with Boruto over his shoulder and Himawari under his arm, leaned over to kiss the top of his second oldest's head. "Hey, Sport." Naruto's signature grin appear, his eyes on something behind her, and he said, "I see you three have been practicing your flower hair braiding skills."

"Silence, Naruto."

Giggling, Hinata turned around to find Neji, Hanabi, and her father standing behind them, their hair braided, colorful flowers weaved into them and simple crowns sitting on their heads. Hanabi stuck her tongue out at her brother in law as she came up to hug Hinata. Neji and Hiashi only shook their heads, coming up to hug Hinata. "You three look lovely." Faint blushes colored their cheeks and she giggled again.

"How was the meeting, Sister?"

Hinata took in a deep breath and looked over to her precious cousin. "Neji, Hanabi, would you please gather everyone together? It's important"

"Of course." And like that, the two were gone.

Hiashi raised an eyebrow at his oldest, before taking the wiggling Boruto from his father. "I take it the Elders weren't pleased with the meeting?" Hinata shook her head. "Good." The woman raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Whenever they're pleased, it usually ends up means disaster."

It only took a few minutes for Neji and Hanabi to gather everyone together. Hinata could hear faint conversations from behind the shoji doors. A kiss was pressed to each of her cheeks, Naruto smiling on her right and her father nodding in support on her left. Himawari, Hiroki, and Boruto grabbed onto the skirts of her kimono, grinning up at her. Straightening up her shoulders, her head held up high, Hinata slid open the doors, silencing the conversations.

Everyone was kneeling, the children, Neji, and Hanabi up front. They were all looking at her, waiting for her words as Clan Head. She took in a deep breath, "Today, I had a meeting with the Clan Elders about the dynamics within the Houses." All backs became stiff and straighter, attention intense.

"From birth, I have known what being a House or Branch member meant. But I never understood what was different about us- we are the Hyuga clan. We are one of Konoha's noble clans. Yet, we have been divide. Resentment has been created from these supposed differences." Neji's and some other Branch member's eyes were cast to the floor. "Neji, please come forward."

The man stood up and walked to her, getting back on his knees in front of her. Hinata gently guided Hiroki to stand next to his uncle. With careful hands, she guided back their headbands, revealing their Curse Seals. Taking a breath and closing her eyes, she closed her eyes and pressed the pads of her fingers to the marks. Charka warmed under her skin, flowing through her like a river, gathering in the tips of her fingers. Then the heat disappeared and she opened her eyes, smiling at her work. Holding her son's and cousin's hands, she pulled them up to their feet.

"But that is the past. Today is the present, and tomorrow is the future. So, from today onward-" she turned them around "-the Curse Seal is to be removed from every Branch member and never used again."

Startled and shocked gasps met the sight of Neji's and Hiroki's clear foreheads. She watched as Neji's fingers- shaking- brushed his forehead, his eyes begging her to say that this is all real. She nodded, smiling. Hiroki's body crashed into her leg, his face buried in his thigh. Claps and cheers rang out through the room- many Clan members wanted the seal gone (but didn't say anything in fear of retribution), and those who didn't were the ones who protested Hinata becoming the Clan Head and had already been dealt with. Neji hugged Hinata and Hiroki tightly, his voice shaky, "Thank you. Thank you."

Hinata just smiled and hugged her cousin back, laughing as Boruto, Himawari, and Naruto joined in, dragging Hanabi along. Her father hugged joined too, smiling, "I'm proud of you." _Family is worth fighting for,_ thought Hinata as she pulled away to start removing the seals. _Blood or no blood, family is the most important thing at the end of the day._

 **~*~*~*~*Border*~*~*~*~**

 ***Hiroki- abundant joy, strength**

 **I had a desperate need for clan head Hinata, adopted Uzumaki/Hyuga child, alive Neji, and dealing with the Curse Seal. And since Kishimoto didn't give me it, I decided to write it myself (like I usually end up doing if I need a desperate need for something and no one else can provide it).**


End file.
